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f 5 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 mer Down Cancer Day game vs. Michigan State on Oct. 11 and for its Military Appreciation Day game vs. Wis- consin on Nov. 8, like it did last year with the American flag motion P. But it's Purdue's "selfie" picture idea that garnered the school some national attention. In June, after send- ing out a tweet asking students to send in portraits if they've purchased VIP cards, the idea became national news with ESPN, CNN and others featuring it. Some liked the plan — it'll combine miniature pic- tures of Purdue fans in a collage on a motion P — but others, like L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke, didn't, as he stated on ESPN's opinion show "Around the Horn." From Purdue's perspective, however, it was good to get people talking, even if the mass reaction was unexpect- ed. "I don't think anybody is ever going to do something that everyone likes," said Chris Peludat, Purdue's mar- keting and ticketing director. "But overall, it was posi- tive; we're just trying to do something relatively unique to engage our fans who are supporting us. We flushed this out and will see how it goes. The majority of (opin- ion) was positive, there's always people who weigh in on the other side of it, but you can't let that bother you too much." 'A BIG THING' Greg Hudson, Purdue's defensive coordinator, didn't have many options when he played linebacker at Notre Dame in the mid-80s. Back then, the Fighting Irish had home and road jer- seys, but only one helmet and only one set of pants. Times have changed. "How much do they like uniforms? A lot," the 47-year- old said. "I like uniforms. I think it's a big thing. But I think it's gotten out of control. "But I think you look good, you feel good, you play good. I'm into it. I like a little flash. But you can't have a flashy uniform and stink, you better play some football." Most agree. For a Purdue team coming off a 1-11 season, the Boilermaker players don't have high demands, under- standing that winning is likely the best avenue toward greater uniform swag. They've got ideas, however, like Richards' Monopo- ly-themed helmet, or receiver DeAngelo Yancey's all- white, with tiny gold trim, head-to-toe outfit. Paul Griggs likes Purdue's traditional wears, and rec- ognizes that even the Boilermakers' limited combina- tions have their good and bad. He's a fan of the Boil- ermakers' black on black, with the new black helmets, particularly because he also wears black cleats. "You don't want to type cast, but your typical Purdue fan is a pretty traditional fan," the placekicker said. "But particularly for some of the younger fans, they're not just focused on Purdue, they're aware of what's go- ing on elsewhere in college football. And they're see- ing what other teams are coming out wearing. When Purdue, not necessarily mimics that, but shows that we can do the same thing, it definitely provides a level of excitement for the fans. It might not be quantifiable, but maybe has some increase in engagement. "But the bottom line is that it doesn't matter what we're wearing as long as we're winning." j Gold and Black Pregame Show Listen any time to get the latest news before kickoff! For all 12 regular-season games, the show brings Boilermaker fans the best insight into the upcoming contest delivered in a format that is available anytime day or night. Listen live at 11 a.m. Fridays or to the podcast any time after, giving the listener an interactive experience full of the best Purdue football game analysis on the planet. This professional produced show, hosted by seasoned broadcaster Kyle Charters, is available for free download on iTunes by searching "Gold and Black Radio" or at www.blogtalkradio.com/goldandblackcom Monday Show Talk about your Monday morning quarterback … Gold and Black Radio is a well-produced show that airs each Monday during the sports seasons at 10 a.m., and can be downloaded as a podcast for a future listen at any time. A hard- hitting, fast-paced 20 minutes, we give the listener the news and insight they need to know heading into the next week. Plus, we take tweets in real time. It's the fastest 20 minutes in Internet radio and it's available for download in iTunes!